Aaron's Kitchen

When Aarón Sánchez and his wife, Ifé, were looking for a weekend escape from New York City, they agreed on one thing: "We wanted a real country vibe," says Aarón. "We didn't care about modern appliances or anything — except a gas stove. I won't cook on electric." They settled on an 1870 house in Greenport, N.Y., on the eastern end of Long Island, where they could cook fresh produce from nearby farms and seafood from the bay.

Table vs. Island

During the kitchen redo, Aarón and Ifé faced an important question: butcher-block island or table? They opted for a table — an antique from a local store that Ifé sanded and painted — because they wanted to be able to hang out in the kitchen, not just cook there.